SHFD781

Members
 View profile  See their activity

  • Content count

    33

  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by SHFD781

  2. Posted

    On a related topic as a co-worker of mine went on a cruise last month. One if his friends that was with him ended up falling and breaking her leg (the found back when they got back to the states). They ended up docking in Jamaica a little later that day. They got off the ship and tried to get to a hospital so she could get her leg checked. They talked to the locals and they told her that she would not be able to get an ambulance. They said that an ambulance will only come for life threatening emergencies. So they tried to get to the hospital by taxi. They get in the taxi and tell the driver where they want to go and he said "sure, as soon as four more people get in." He would not move the taxi till there were 6 people in it. So she ended up not being able to get her leg checked for another 5 days till they got back to New Jersey.

  3. Posted

    Here is another company doing similar things to their ambulance in regards to safety. They made alot of changes including starting to use the five point harness type seat belts.

    Florida Rescuers Design Safer Ambulance

    SUSAN NICOL KYLE

    EMSResponder.Com News

    Paramedics at Winter Park Fire Rescue Department weren't willing to settle for the run-of-the mill ambulances any longer. They designed their own.

    They dug their heels in to get what they wanted - a safer and more efficient vehicle. Even when manufacturers tried to talk them out of the modifications, they held fast, said Paramedic Lt. A.J. Isaacs, the project manager.

    After reviewing ambulance crash studies from NIOSH, Isaacs said he was determined that changes would be made. And, Chief Jim White agreed that safety was paramount.

    Isaacs said it just made absolutely no sense why someone would need to stand to tend to a patient who is secured to the cot. NIOSH crash tests involving a slow speed collision showed the attendant seated in the CPR seat being pushed into the radio and light panel, striking their head. It was the first thing to go in Winter Park's new ambulances.

    Instead, there's a seat on the opposite side with five-point safety restraints for the paramedic. While belted, they still have complete access to the patient and equipment.

    The control panel for the lights and radio has been moved to that side and sits at an angle. At the right of the attendant's seat are cabinets holding needles and IV equipment and the drug box. On the other side, is one for the sharps box and trash.

    "There's absolutely no reason to stand up," Isaacs said. "It's all here within reach."

    The airway management chair is equipped with a regular harness and lap belt. The EKG monitor is on a shelf where the CPR seat is in most ambulances. The shelf slides in order for the paramedic to keep an eye on the patient's heart rhythm.

    The department has automatic CPR devices for cardiac arrest patients.

    A DVD player is mounted above the rear door, and while en route to the hospital the patient watches a message from the county medical director. The attendant selects the topic depending on the type of call or complaint.

    The two MedTec ambulances which cost $170,000 each, also have been equipped with new stretchers, ones that Paramedic Lt. Pat McCabe said will prevent back injuries. By pushing a button, the cots raise or lower.

    In addition to the safety features, the ambulances have a hydraulic generator to run an air conditioner to keep the box cool. McCabe said in the Florida heat it was impossible to keep the patient compartment cool.

    And, they've taken advantage of empty space by adding to two compartments accessible from the outside to store extra oxygen cylinders.

    A NIOSH study of ambulance crashes showed more than 70 percent of EMS personnel rarely used belts while riding in the patient compartment. At slow speed, the box often goes forward and dips down, tossing attendants into the bulkhead.

    On Wednesday, the NIOSH researchers also took a look at the Winter Park ambulance features, and indicated they were impressed.

    Isaacs said while the ambulance he designed meets KKK specifications, he would eventually like to see the restraints become part of nationwide standards.

    The Winter Park Department has asked NIOSH to perform tests to determine if the restraints really do protect the attendants.

    Companies interested in the design can contact Jim Philips at Med Tec, who worked closely with his hometown fire department to make their concept become a reality.

    There is also some pictures of some of the new features http://www.emsresponder.com/article/articl...ction=1&id=3519

    Also check out the Winter Park Fire Rescue's website. It's pretty nice. Here's pictures of their new ambulances.

  4. Posted

    I did a ride along with Danbury Fire Dept. Engine 22. I don't know if it has to be school related though. I was in high school at the time and I was doing a job shadow as part of a class. But it's worth a shot call Danbury FD headquarters. I don't remember who you need to talk to though

  5. Posted

    Just wanted to give credit where credit is due!  Hats off to the fine men and women at 60 for a job well done tonight! 

    I know how crazy it was is my neck of the woods, i can just imagine the rest of the county.  The airways were close to impossible to talk on for awhile due to the insane number of alarms occuring in a short amount of time.

    For all the chaos in the county, 60 had a great handle on it all (in my opinion) and deserve a pat on the back!  Some may say its there job to handle it, but its these rare occasions where they must go above and beyond with such a crazy ammount of calls coming in!

    Soo....job well done tonight to the ladies & gents at 60!

    BFD1054 is right credit should be given where it is due. I know from being a dispatcher that you don't always get the credit you deserve. I can not hear 60 Control from where I live (plus I was sleeping cause I am working tonight), but I'm sure they did a great job. I always hear that too where we're supposed to be able to handle it if it is busy cause that's what we're trained for. It's still nice to get a good job every once in a while from the people that we are sending all over the place. I try to give credit where it is due to my dispatchers here in CT. Anyways good job to 60 Control and everyone else in the area on a busy night.

  7. Posted

    California Man Buys Engine on e-Bay

    By Pam Wight Staff Writer

    Whittier Daily News (California)

    LA HABRA HEIGHTS - Roy Francis is afraid that if a fire breaks out again in his house, he will not be as lucky as he was the first time.

    The 12 minutes it took for the La Habra Heights Fire Department to arrive at his home to put out a small kitchen fire last year was unacceptably long, he said.

    So Francis, 59, has taken it upon himself to "educate" the City Council and residents on what he sees as a dangerous gap in coverage - the eastern side of the city.

    Francis sent a letter to 50 homes in his neighborhood about the issue and planned to read it to the council at Thursday's meeting.

    "People don't usually respond until something major happens," said Francis, a 20-year veteran fire fighter. "I'm looking for a better way to deliver emergency services in La Habra Heights. I think the City Council is not educated about it and \ think the County \ will bail us out. I'm not trying to hammer anybody, only to educate them."

    George Edwards, Francis' neighbor, also experienced a 12-minute response time to a fire on his property, he said.

    Rather than merely complaining to the council, Edwards bought his own fire truck on eBay for $7,200, flew to New York to pick it up and drove it back home.

    He has also drawn up a proposal to build a small fire station on his own property.

    "We think the city has been extremely dismissive," Edwards said. "We feel that it's insulting that the city doesn't acknowledge our offer. They say it's a liability issue. But saving lives is more important than \ liability."

    But La Habra Heights City Manager Ron Bates said that although having a fire station on the eastern side of the city would be helpful, the cost to the city would be at least $750,000 a year.

    "The question is, what can we as a community afford?" Bates said. "We think we're providing excellent service already to the residents."

    The city Fire Department uses unpaid professional firefighters who are awaiting openings in the big fire agencies, Bates said.

    In addition, the city has a "mutual aid" agreement with the Los Angeles County Fire Department to provide back-up services when necessary.

    "In the state of California, you can't run a fire department if you don't use certified fire fighters, anyway," he said.

    pam.wight@sgvn.com

    (562) 698-0955, Ext. 3029

    http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/a...nId=46&id=49262

    I say more power to them and I hope they are able to get better fire protection to their area of town. Plus isn't that how many of the small volunteer departments were established. Because there wasn't enough protection to a certain part of town so the residents got together and did something about it. I know that is pretty much how my department was established.

  11. Posted

    I just found this on AMR's website. I guess Las Vagas wasn't the first to purchase an oversized ambulance.

    This one in Evansville, Indiana in 2004

    NEW AMBULANCE WILL TRANSPORT 1,600 LB. PATIENTS

    Evansville, IN, June 6, 2004 – In an effort to further improve service for the Evansville-metro area and its citizens, American Medical Response (AMR) has developed a new Specialty Transport Unit designed to better meet the transportation needs of patients weighing up to 1,600 lbs. Deaconess Hospital provided financial assistance to equip this specially designed unit for the transportation of the extremely heavy, or bariatric, patients.

    The Community Advanced Life Support Consortium has been looking at the increasing volume of transports of very large patients reported by AMR for the past year. "This is a substantial financial commitment for us, not only to develop but also to operate," said Jerry Key, General Manager of AMR. " Deaconess Hospital offered to assist us financially to acquire the special equipment to outfit this unit, as they understood what a barrier this was for these patients and for the medical transport providers."

    The standard equipment in the ambulance industry is pressed to accommodate these larger and heavier patients. This has been a potential safety hazard for patients and the crews who transport them. AMR developed this new system to significantly decrease the risk, and increase the comfort and dignity of bariatric patients.

    The new Specialty Transport Unit incorporates a larger type-3 ambulance which has a box-type patient compartment with a van cab and chassis. This unit will provide the necessary room for the patient and crew in the back of the unit. The unit will carry a new style cot that is wider than a standard ambulance gurney and can hold up to 1,600 lbs. This cot will provide greater comfort and safety for the patient and safer lifting for the crew.

    AMR has designed new ramps to use when loading or unloading the patient. These ramps will allow for a smoother and more comfortable lift for the patient. The ramps will also prevent the crews from needing to manually lift the patient, which could potentially risk unnecessary injuries. Also on the unit is a specially designed winch system to help the crews load and unload the patient. This will reduce the strain on the crews and act as a safety to prevent the gurney from getting out of control.

    And this one in Portland OR in 2003

    NEW AMBULANCE WILL TRANSPORT 1,000 LB. PATIENTS

    PORTLAND, OR, February 3, 2003 – In an effort to further improve service to the Portland-metro area and its citizens, American Medical Response (AMR) has developed a new Bariatric Unit to better meet the transportation needs of patients weighing up to 1,000 lbs. AMR has specially designed this unit for the transportation of bariatric patients in the Portland-metro area because none other existed until today.

    The word bariatric stems from the Greek word barros, which translates to heavy or large. Nearly one- quarter of U.S. adults are obese (according to www.niddk.nih.gov.) Obesity is defined as someone having a body mass index (BMI) greater or equal to 30. A BMI greater than 40 is considered extreme obesity.

    The standard equipment in the ambulance industry is pressed to accommodate these larger and heavier patients. This has been a potential safety hazard for patients and the crews who transport them. AMR developed this new system to significantly decrease the risk, and increase the comfort and dignity of these patients.

    The new Bariatric Unit incorporates a larger than normal type 3 ambulance which has a large, box-type patient compartment with a van cab and chassis. This unit will provide additional room for the patient and crew in the back of the unit. The unit will carry a flat cot that is wider than a standard ambulance gurney and can hold up to 1,000 lbs. This cot will provide greater comfort for the patient and safer lifting for the crew.

    AMR has designed aluminum ramps to use when loading or unloading the patient. These ramps will allow for a smoother and more comfortable lift for the patient. The ramps will also prevent the crews from needing to manually lift the patient, which could potentially risk unnecessary injuries. Also on the unit is a specially designed winch system to help the crews load and unload the patient. This will reduce the strain on the crews and act as a safety to prevent the gurney from getting out of control.

    AMR crews are specially trained in the use of this equipment and in the transport of these patients. AMR anticipates running up to two calls per day in the Portland-metro area with the new Bariatric Unit.

  13. Posted

    www.townofstratford.com

    Stratford, Connecticut Job Opening

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Town of Stratford

    Firefighter

    $44,512 - $55,084

    (As of 7/01/05)

    The Town of Stratford is recruiting for Firefighters. Candidates must take and pass a written test, oral examination, medical, drug screen, background investigation and psychological evaluation.

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

    High School Diploma or State Equivalency Certificate

    18 years old by November 1, 2006.

    Valid motor vehicle license

    U.S. Citizen

    2006 CPAT Certified at time of written exam

    Certified EMT by the date of hire

    TO APPLY

    Applications are available at the Town of Stratford, Human Resources Department, 2725 Main Street, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. You may also access our website for an application at www.townofstratford.com. CPAT information will be available at Human Resources along with applications or via the internet at www.ct.gov/cfpc

    Candidates must be registered for CPAT by March 31, 2006.

    Completed applications must be returned to the Human Resources Department, March 31, 2006. A $25.00 non-refundable check must accompany your application.

    The written test is scheduled for mid November 2006. A copy of your CPAT certification must be received in the Human Resources Department by November 1, 2006. The Town of Stratford reserves the right to limit the number of candidates invited to each selection process after the written test.

    The Town of Stratford is an equal opportunity employer. Female and minority candidates are encouraged to apply.

    Stratford Connecticut

    Human Resources Department

    2725 Main Street, Stratford, Connecticut 06615.

    Phone: 203-385-4007

    Fax: 203-385-4037

    resumes@townofstratford.com

    http://www.townofstratford.com/humanresour...Firefighter.htm

    Stratford Firefighter Application:

    http://www.townofstratford.com/humanresour...ication2006.pdf

  14. Posted

    I understand where the Chief is coming from on this one, but I'm not completely sure if I agree with what happened to them. If you would like to watch the videos click the link below, videos 1-5 I think are the best ones. Video 6 is a little disturbing.

    Here is the link to the creator of the videos website http://www.insidethesfpd.com/ There isn't anything on it right now but it sounds like there will be soon

    SFPD Officers Suspended over Online Video

    SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- More than a dozen San Francisco police officers are off the job without pay Thursday for appearing in several videos that parodied life on the force.

    Officer Andrew Cohen, who has been suspended for producing the videos, is scheduled to meet with Police Chief Heather Fong next week.

    Cohen acknowledges he was suspended for posting what has been described as "inappropriate and unauthorized pictures and other information about the department on the Internet."

    Cohen says he made the videos as entertainment for his unit's Christmas party. He is scheduled to meet with the police chief on December 17. Cohen will also have a hearing before the city's Police Commission.

    There is no word on the fate of up to a dozen other officers who faced discipline after making videos parodying life on the force that officials said used racist, sexist and homophobic stereotypes.

    Sources tell KRON 4 News that a number of police officers were suspended Wednesday for violating departmental regulations.

    Cohen operated a website that hosted videos of police officers acting in what has been described as parodies of police work that some may have found offensive.

    At a news conference at City Hall Wednesday evening, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom described the videos as "a series of vignettes, skits, that are some of the most egregious skits I've seen."

    About 20 police officers who were in the videos also face suspension during an internal affairs investigation, including a police captain.

    Police Chief Heather Fong said the officers were shown in a series of skits that featured uniformed officers making fun of Asians, blacks, women and members of the gay and transgender communities.

    "The content ranges from immature and vulgar to sexist, racist and homophobic," the two said in a joint statement.

    Fong added, "This is a dark day in the history of the San Francisco Police Department."

    Cohen pulled the videos from the website and posted a statement Wednesday, which reads in part, "...as many of you may know by now, I was asked to take down most of this website."

    When Fong learned about these videos on Tuesday from someone within the police department, she immediately ordered Cohen to remove them, sources tell KRON 4 News.

    In the online statement, Cohen says that he's devoted much of his time making videos to increase positive public opinion of officers. But, he also wrote, "I think that this is where the road ends."

    Fong informed Newsom of the video on Wednesday.

    At the news conference, Newsom said a special task force, the city's Human Rights Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women would investigate the officers, most of whom were stationed at the Bayview police station.

    Attorney Daniel Horowitz, who is representing Cohen, disputes allegations of racism and is considering slander lawsuits.

    "Instead of Chief Fong saying, 'I screwed up. I've done nothing for that community,' she's saying, 'Andrew Cohen is a racist,' " Horowitz said.

    Horowitz says that the videos were intended to be funny while also containing elements of social commentary.

    "What it says is there is a problem in Hunters Point," Horowitz said. "The community feels that a bunch of white people are policing them, and don't care. The police feel that nobody is saying, 'you're doing a great job.' Andrew put that out there in the form of comedy."

    Malaika Parker of Bay Area PoliceWatch called the videos "the tip of the iceberg" and said it was "disgusting and appalling" that people in the Bayview were dying while local police were making videos.

    San Francisco Police Officers Association President Gary Delagnes apologized Thursday on behalf of the union.

    "I'm sorry they did it," Delagnes said. "I'm sure they're sorry they did it. But do not confuse that video with the way those cops perform in the real world."

    The Associated Press and Bay City News contributed to this report .

    (Copyright 2005, KRON 4. All rights reserved.)

  15. Posted

    Just thought you all would like to know how 2 of the puppies who were burned in the fire were doing. They are currently at an animal hospital in Danbury. Here is the story and there are some pictures on the site.

    http://news.newstimeslive.com/story.php?id=77142

    Tough Pups - Vet helps dogs recover from fire

    By Brian Saxton

    DANBURY – They named them Barbecue and A-1 – and for good reason.

    When the two, 11-week-old puppies, one a boxer and the other an English bulldog, arrived in Danbury, it was touch and go whether they'd ever recover from the fire that swept through the pet shop where they were caged and offered for sale.

    "They were in bad shape," said Dr. Fred Baff, owner of Plumtrees Animal Hospital on Newtown Road where the dogs were brought for treatment. "Our job now is to get them well and find them homes."

    The Nov. 14 fire at American Breeders in Mohegan Lake, N.Y., began shortly before 11 p.m. in the store basement because of what officials say was an electrical fault.

    Barbecue and A-1 were among 59 puppies and five kittens inside the building when the blaze was reported.

    Lake Mohegan First Assistant Fire Chief George Keesler said the puppies were barking to get out. Some were digging at their cages.

    At one stage, firefighters were pulling animals from the cages and giving them to helpers gathered outside.

    "It was horrible," said store owner Rick Doyle, who sells puppies and kittens to clients nationwide. "It was disastrous. It was as bad as it gets."

    Barbecue and A-1 were two of the lucky ones.

    They were rescued by firefighters, along with 46 other puppies and kittens, but two puppies died from smoke inhalation and several more had to be euthanized. In all, 12 animals died.

    Some of those saved received oxygen from firefighters and medical personnel in the firehouse next door. Survivors later were sent to local kennels and veterinarians to be either housed or treated.

    Barbecue and A-1 were brought to Baff after one of the recipients, client and kennel owner, Dale Schweizer, of Shady Pines Kennel in Brewster, N.Y., found the dogs needed urgent medical attention.

    "Their main problem was smoke inhalation," said Baff. "They both had tremendous difficulty breathing. One showed signs of not getting enough oxygen and was coughing up mucus."

    Using antibiotics and inhalation therapy, Baff was able to reduce the dogs' respiratory problems.

    The main issue now, Baff said last week, is skin related.

    "Because of the heat of the fire, some of their skin is falling away and the skin tissue is dying," said Baff. "We may have to do some skin grafting."

    Still, Baff said he remained optimistic about the dogs' eventual recovery.

    "My prognosis is still favorable," said Baff. "They're nice dogs. They're sleeping well and they're eating well. My assistants even gave them names. They called the boxer Barbecue and the bulldog A-1."

    Schweizer, who has found homes for most of the 22 puppies and five kittens he took in, said Barbecue and A-1 were two of the more serious victims of the blaze.

    "This has been a situation in which people came together as a team to try to ensure the safety of the animals," said Schweizer. "We all pitched in, including the firefighters. This was not about people. It was about animals."

    For information about the puppies at Plumtrees Animal Hospital in Danbury, call Dr. Fred Baff at (203) 748-8878.

    Contact Brian Saxton

    at bsaxton@newstimes.com

    or at (203) 731-3332.

  18. Posted

    This makes sence I guess. The only question I have is does FDNY go mutual aid, or recieve mutual aid to/from cities and towns outside of NYC? If they do either then this new radio system makes sence.

    New York City Gets $6M to Connect First Responders in New York, New Jersey

    Updated: 09-19-2005 11:46:17 AM

    E-MAIL THIS STORY  PRINT THIS STORY

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    NEW YORK (AP) -- A $6 million federal grant will create a radio frequency that connects emergency responders in New York City with each other and with suburban counties in New York and New Jersey, city officials said Sunday.

    The grant from the Department of Justice will create a regional command and control radio frequency for police, fire and emergency officials in New York City, as well as in Nassau, Westchester, and parts of Suffolk county in New York; and in Bergen, Hudson, Essex and parts of Passaic County in New Jersey.

    ''This grant will allow us to continue to build the most robust interoperable radio system anywhere in the country and this continued support helps keep New York the most prepared city in the nation,'' said Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph Bruno.

    The UHF analog radio frequency will connect 16 million people on an emergency communication network, officials said.

    In New York, it will connect the city police and fire department, the Office of Emergency Management, as well as Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority police.

    The Sept. 11 commission has described major flaws in the city's emergency response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, including the failure of police and fire officials to communicate effectively.

    ''One of the lessons we learned four years ago was the need for a regional approach to addressing large-scale disasters,'' said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta.

    The city said it would make three of its six existing emergency response channels available to other regional agencies during large-scale emergencies.

    Copyright 2005 Associated Press

    http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/a...nId=46&id=44730

  19. Posted

    It shouldn't have come to this. I can't believe this is happening whether it is true or not.

    Clearwater, Florida Chief Orders Women Firefighters to Stay Out of Burning Buildings

    Updated: 09-20-2005 11:08:44 AM

    E-MAIL THIS STORY  PRINT THIS STORY

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) -- The city's fire chief has ordered women firefighters to temporarily stay out of burning buildings amid threats that their male colleagues might not protect them.

    Clearwater Fire & Rescue Chief Jamie D. Geer said he issued the directive last weekend after learning that the safety of some of the city's nine female firefighters had been threatened because they talked about quitting the local firefighters' union.

    ''I take these threats very seriously, credible or not,'' Geer wrote in a Saturday e-mail to fire department employees and city officials.

    Union leaders, however, said they have no details of wrongdoing and called the idea of firefighters threatening other firefighters ''far-reaching.''

    ''We have no information, we have nothing but e-mails and innuendoes,'' union treasurer and secretary Dave Hogan said. ''To tell you the truth, I don't think there's a single member of our fire department that would threaten anybody, let alone a fellow firefighter.''

    Geer, who launched an internal investigation, would not specify precisely what the threats made to the female firefighters were, nor would he say how many women had received them. He also said they didn't wish to be identified.

    The directive applies to the nine women among the department's 179 firefighters who may find themselves called upon to enter a burning structure, Geer said.

    The women have been allowed to ask for a transfer or time off, but none has so far, said Geer, who has no timetable to complete his investigation.

    Fire Lt. Anna Rowell, a 12-year veteran, told the St. Petersburg Times that she had not been threatened and didn't know who had.

    Rowell expressed concern that Geer's order would hurt the standing of all the women in the department.

    ''We have a very strong union. We have a lot of strong people in the union,'' Rowell said. ''I think they can be intimidating. However, as a firefighter, I have felt nothing but taken care of by the guys in the fire department.''

    Copyright 2005 Associated Press

    http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/a...nId=46&id=44758

  20. Posted

    Skinny Firefighter Slithers to the Rescue

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    WESTFIELD, N.J. (AP) -- At 6-foot-1 and 160 pounds, Jim Pfeiffer is used to being called skinny. But Pfeiffer's beanpole status came in handy Monday, when the 25-year-old firefighter slipped into a narrow crevasse to rescue a toddler trapped 9 feet underground.

    The 16-month-old Metuchen boy, John Michael Butterfield, had been running at the Tamaques Park playground with another child under his mother's watch when he darted off toward an adjacent tennis court. He slipped into one of six holes dug by a contractor earlier that day to support new floodlights.

    A concrete column took up most of the space in the 3-foot-wide hole, but Butterfield fell into a 10-inch gap. His face was pressed against the dirt wall when firefighters arrived, and before long his cries ominously ceased.

    Pfeiffer stripped down to a T-shirt and trousers. His colleagues fastened ropes around his waist and ankles, and lowered him headfirst into the gap. Pfeiffer soon became wedged himself, but the boy remained out of reach.

    ''I took one deep breath and tried to make myself as small as I could,'' Pfeiffer told The Star-Ledger of Newark. ''I guess he could sense I was there, because he started crying. That was the best sound in the world.''

    The firefighter managed to grip the child's shirt, and then slip his fingertips under the boy's armpits. His colleagues then hoisted them to freedom.

    Butterfield was treated for cuts and bruises and released from a hospital.

    Said Pfeiffer: ''The guys used to laugh at me for being so skinny, but I guess in this case it paid off.''

    http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/a...nId=46&id=44256

  22. Posted · Edited by SHFD781

    Is anyone in the area going to the Bridgewater CT parade? If you are going are you bringing any apparatus or are you just coming to watch the parade and eat some great food? I know this post is a little late since step off is only about 8 hours away.

    Stony Hill Fire Dept in Bethel CT will be going with our trophy winning Rescue 2.

    Hope to see you there.

  23. Posted · Edited by SHFD781

    Our department thinks this a good idea and we are going to try to promote this at some of out local PR events coming up in September. I found more information for any department that is interested in starting this in their comunity. The first one is from a private ambulance company in Tulsa OK, then next is from East Anglian Ambulance in England where it all started, and the third is just general info.

    http://www.emsaonline.com/iceadvice.html

    http://www.eastanglianambulance.com/content/ice/default.asp

    http://www.icecontact.com/

  25. Posted

    Here's something to think about. I heard from one of the CT Fire Academy Instructors that was teaching my RIT class that there was a company in CT that decided to call their team "Firefighter Assist and Recovery Team" till they realized what the acronym for that would be, "FART" Thought you all would like laugh.